Portable sewing machines



Nov. 7, 1961 Filed Jan. 19, 1959 I. A. LESLIE PORTABLE SEWING MACHINES 4Sneets-Sheet l Inventor 14 01 a 4/9: a "0/"- [@J/IE Nov. 7, 1961 1. A.LESLIE PORTABLE szwmc MACHINES Filed Jn. 19, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Inventor 17 0 n 4424121134 101%2 in/ 4 mm Nov. 7, 1961 l. A. LESLIEPORTABLE SEWING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 19, 1959 Inventor.Z'Van I/ezan a/e Ze-r/z'c Nov. 7, 1961 LEsLlE 3,007,426

PORTABLE SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 19, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F/GZ 2F/G8.

n "1 I 1 2/ 22 I s Ylll . Inventor l ekfindnr ZCI'//' United StatesPatent 3,007,426 PORTABLE SEWING MACHINES Ivan Alexander Leslie,Nantwich, England (Silvanhurst 82, Broomy Hill, Hereford, England) Filed'Jan. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 787,539 Claims priority, application GreatBritain Feb. 3, 1958 7 Claims. (Cl. 112-258) This invention relates toportable sewing machines, and has for its object to provide such amachine which, whilst possessing adequate lateral stability when in use,is capable of being collapsed so as to. occupy a smaller overall compassthan in its operative condition such that it may be enclosed within anenclosing case or cover of a conveniently small size for carrying byhand.

According to the invention, a portable sewing machine comprises aU-shaped hollow frame containing the mechanism of the machine,permanently attached to a base or supporting means which, when themachine is in use, extends laterally from each side of the machine, saidframe and base or supporting means being angularly and/or slidablymovable relatively to one another in a lateral direction in relation tothe frame, whereby with the said relatively-movable parts in onerelative position the frame takes a vertical position with the base orsupporting means extending laterally from both sides thereof, whilstwithl e said parts in another relative position they arerelativelycollapsed so as to occupy a smaller overall compass than inthe first-named position. The lower portion of the frame may be hingedlyconnected to a base through the medium of two swingable controllinglinks movable in vertical planes and pivoted to each end of the framerespectively at two spaced points and also to the base at two. spacedpoints, said links enabling the frame to move angularly in a lateraldirection and lie horizontally upon the base and at the same timecausing the frame to move bodily laterally in relation to the base, soas to lie within the confines of said base. Suitable catch means may beprovided for holding the frame either in its extended vertical positionor in its horizontal folded position.

In modifications of the invention, the frame may be directly hinged atone side to a slide mounted on the base, or folding, pivoted or slidingsupporting parts may be mounted on the lower part of the frame so as tobe adapted to extend laterally from the frame when the machine is inuse, but to collapse relatively to the sides of the frame when themachine is not in use.

FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation of a portablesewing machine according to one form of the invention, the machine beingshown in its extended position for use.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view corresponding to FIGURE 1, with a portion brokenaway to show the catch device.

FIGURE 3 is a front end elevation of the machine in its position foruse.

FIGURE 4 is an end of the machine when folded and enclosed within acarrying case or cover, shown in section.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the machine in its folded condition.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section on line VI-VI, FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a modification.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-section on line VIIIVIII, FIG- URE 7.

Referring to FIGURES l to 6 of the drawings, the portable sewing machinetherein shown comprises a U- shaped hollow frame 1 enclosing the wholeof the operative mechanism of the machine the needle mechanism being inthe forward portion of the top arm, the feed 3,007,426 Patented Nov. 7,1961 ICC ' mechanism in the forward portion of the lower arm, and

the motor and driving means for the needle and feed mechanisms being inthe rear portions of the frame.

The frame 1, when in its vertical position for use, extends across themiddle pontion of a rectangular base board 2 the width of which, in thetransverse direction of the frame, is somewhat greater than the overallheight of the frame, and a flat lower face of the frame rests onparallel transverse bearer bars 3 secured to the base board. The saidframe 1 is permanently connected to the base board 2, at each front andrear end, by means of two links 4, 5. The link 4, which is of angularform as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, is pivoted to the end of the frame 1towards one side thereof,-at 6, the other end being pivoted to a bearerbar 3 on the base board 2 at 7, so that the link takes an obliqueposition when the frame 1 is vertical, as seen in FIGURE 3. The otherlink 5 is in the form of a plate extending transversely across the twobearer bars 3 (FIGURE 2), and its 0p 1 posite ends are turneddown in theform of flanges having, adjacent opposite longitudinal edges, cars whichare respectively pivoted to the frame 1 at 8 and to the bearer bars 3 at9. The pivot 8 is near the side of the frame remote from that'which isadjacent to pivot 6, being spaced from the latter and also being at alower level, and with the frame 1 vertical the link 5 lies nearlyhorizontally (FIGURE 3). 7

In order to collapse and fold the frame 1 when the machine is not'inuse, the said frame is slightly lifted and is at the same timeturnedlaterally and angularly towards a horizontalposition, the links 4,5, controlling the movement and constraining the frame to follow adefinite path of movement, the frame being caused to move bodily towardsone edge of the base board so that in the final collapsed condition theframe lies resting by its side on the bars 3 in a horizontal positionand wholly within the contour of the base board. In this condition,

the link 4 takes a nearly horizontal position and the link 5 a nearlyvertical position, as shown in FIGURE 4.

In order to retain the frame 1 in its vertical position for use and alsoin its folded out-of-use position, a suitable catch or locking device isemployed. As shown, this device may take the form of a T-shaped latchlever 10 pivoted at 11 beneath an elevated plate 12 (FIGURE 6) fastenedupon a supporting part 13 secured to the base board 2. The lever 10 hasa cross-head 14 the arms of which are adapted, when the lever is turnedin a horizontal plane, to engage with two notched pegs 15 on the bottomface of the frame 1 in order to lock the latter in a vertical position.Likewise, in order to lock the frame in its collapsed condition, one ofthe arms of the cross-head 14 engages a single notched peg 15 providedon a side face of the frame. Holes 16 are provided in the link plate 5to receive the pegs 15 when the frame is folded down.

When the frame has been collapsed, as in FIGURE 4, a cover 17, providedwith a carrying handle (not shown) at one side, is placed over themachine, being interlocked with the base at 18 and secured at theopposite side by any suitable fastening device indicated at 19.

In the modification indicated diagrammatically in FIGURE 7, the frame 1of the machine is directly hinged at 20 to a slide 21 movable, in thetransverse direction of the frame, in a dovetail groove 22 in the baseboard 2. By moving the slide 21 outwardly in the groove and at the sametime turning down the frame laterally, the said frame can take ahorizontal position, shown by dotted lines within the contour of thebase 2. Any suitable means (not shown) may be used for locking the framein its vertical position.

As a further modification, a single link, such as one of the links 4, 5,in FIGURES 3 and 4, may be used at each end of the frame, the folding ofthe latter being controlled by hand.

The terms vertical and horizontal used in the description and claims isintended to include positions which are nearly vertical or nearlyhorizontal.

I claim:

1. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a baseseparate from said frame, and connecting means permanently pivotallyconnecting said frame to said base with the pivot axis of said frameextending in longitudinal direction of said frame for selectivelytilting said frame about said pivot axis from an upright position into afolded-down position into contact with said base, and vice versa.

2. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a baseseparate from said frame, and a pair of link means permanently pivotallyconnected to said frame and to said base, said frame being pivotallyconnected to said link means along a line extending in longitudinaldirection of said frame for selectively tilting said frame about saidpivot axis from an upright position into a folded-down position intocontact with said base, and vice versa.

3. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a baseprovided with a slideway extending in a direction substantiallytransverse to the longitudinal direction of said frame, and a slideselectively movable in said slideway and permanently pivotally connectedto said frame along an axis extending in longitudinal direction of saidframe for selectively folding said frame about said axis from an uprightposition toward said base, and vice versa.

4. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a base,connecting means permanently pivotally connecting said frame to saidbase with the pivot axis of said frame extending in longitudinaldirection of said frame for selectively tilting said frame about saidaxis from an upright position into a folded-down position into contactwith said base, and vice versa, notched pegs arranged on the undersideof said frame, and lever means mounted on said base and operable inresponse to a certain turning movement of said lever means to engagesaid notched pegs in upright position of said frame.

5. A portable sewing machine according to claim 4, in which a notchedpeg is provided on a side Of the frame for engagement by said levermeans when said frame is in its folded-down position.

6. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a baseseparate from said frame, and a pair of swingable controlling linkspermanently pivotally connecting said frame to said base with the pivotaxis of said frame extending in the longitudinal direction of said framefor permitting of said frame being angularly folded down from an uprightposition and, at the same time, moved bodily in a direction lateral tothe longitudinal plane of the machine, so that the frame rests in saidfolded down position upon the top face of the base.

7. A portable sewing machine according to claim 6, wherein saidswingable controlling links are movable in vertical planes and arepivoted to an end of the frame at two spaced points and also to the baseat two spaced points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,663,607 Schaper Dec. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 744,330 Germany Jan. 17,1944 425,915 Italy Oct. 15, 1947 896,150 Germany Nov. 9, 1953 148,012Sweden Dec. 7, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES Anker-Werke, German application,Serial No. A17755, printed December 8, 1955, 3 dwg, 2 spec.

